14-year-old Basingstoke schoolgirl walks to help new born babies
Bracken hopes to raise hundreds of pounds for her local neonatal unit
Last updated 28th Jan 2022
A 14-year-old girl from Basingstoke is walking the length of the UK to raise money for her local neonatal unit.
Bracken Henderson from Rooksdown is also hoping to become a neo-natal nurse when she's older.
Bracken is walking 874 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats, in just nine months to raise money for Hampshire Hospitals Charity (HHC) for the neonatal units at both Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals.
The teenager, from Rooksdown, Basingstoke, was inspired to raise money after her younger brother George, who is now three, was born with jaundice and was cared for on the neonatal unit at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.
Bracken said:
“When we visited my brother on the neonatal unit for the first time, I realised that I wanted to work for the NHS and help other babies in similar positions.
“I rang my mum when we got home and told her I want to be a neonatal nurse, and I’ve been working towards this ever since through my studies.
“Obviously I can’t be a neonatal nurse just yet, but I want to do what I can to help at the moment, which is why I’ve decided to take on this fundraising challenge.
“I’m really excited to push myself and raise as much money as I can because I want to help the babies and their families.”
Joined by her mum, Louise Henderson, who also works at Basingstoke hospital, which is run by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT), Bracken will be walking around Basingstoke, and other areas of the UK, to tally up 874 miles in total.
Her mum Louise said:
“I’m unbelievably proud of Bracken and she has been the driving force behind it all. She really is an inspiration to us all at such a young age, while also studying for her mock exams in a few weeks.
“All of the staff were incredible when caring for George and now we want to give back and help where we can.”
To support Bracken in her fundraising journey, you can donate by visiting https://bit.ly/3KgHbUx. If you are eligible to, please remember to tick the Gift Aid box as this will add 25 per cent to every donation you make.
You can also follow ‘Brackens 874 mile walk for Hampshire Hospitals neonatal units’ page on Facebook for updates.